Editing Douglas, Michigan (section)

==History==
Douglas, originally known as '''Dudleyville''', was first settled by European-Americans in 1851 as a lumber mill town. In 1861, residents changed the name to Douglas. Reportedly the name was chosen to honor the American statesman [[Stephen A. Douglas]],<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=21750|title= Profile for Douglas, Michigan, MI |publisher= ePodunk|access-date=August 26, 2012}}</ref> but other reports indicate that a relative of the original owner of the land also suggested the name because he came from [[Douglas, Isle of Man|Douglas]], the capital of the [[Isle of Man]]. Douglas was incorporated as a village in 1870.

Area sawmills provided much of the lumber used to rebuild [[Chicago]] after the [[Great Chicago Fire]] of 1871. After most of the harvestable trees in the area were cleared by the lumber industry,  the area became a center for growing and shipping fruit, especially [[peach]]es. [[Tourism]] and resorts also became an important part of the area economy.